Hopkins says no to Ward

[junior gong]

The whole friends thing is a crap excuse...not even a reason. Brothers, I can understand...friends? no. That said, It would only make sense if it was Ward moving up. They're are one division apart, Ward has fought and beat everyone at SMW so why not? If the fight isnt in demand, then it damn well should be.

[pacmanis1]

It's like Max Kellerman said last night, because of his age he's held to different standards.

[junior gong]

He shouldnt be if he is going to call himself world champion and continue to fight at the top level.

[razor.thin]

hopkins career has all been a sham

[The_Sandman]

The whole friends thing is a crap excuse...not even a reason. Brothers, I can understand...friends? no. That said, It would only make sense if it was Ward moving up. They're are one division apart, Ward has fought and beat everyone at SMW so why not? If the fight isnt in demand, then it damn well should be.

Why is not wanting to fight your friends a crap excuse? Once you start the build up, the press conference, the training camp, it actually gets tense between friends. I wouldn't want to be in a ring with my friend with the intention of knocking his head off. In fact, I think I would hold back a lot. And why is Bernard Hopkins the only one who is getting criticized for this. There's a video of Ward himself talking to Hopkins saying "We ain't ever going to fight. I respect you too much." So why is the 48 year old man who has fought everybody the guy that's ducking? And yes I'm actually waiting for an answer. As in...as rhetorical as that question sounds, I actually want to hear your answer. And yes if those two were to fight, Ward would definitely beat him, but I'm sure that isn't why Bernard isn't going to fight him. Hopkins is the last person I would put in that category.

[junior gong]

Why is not wanting to fight your friends a crap excuse? Once you start the build up, the press conference, the training camp, it actually gets tense between friends. I wouldn't want to be in a ring with my friend with the intention of knocking his head off. In fact, I think I would hold back a lot. And why is Bernard Hopkins the only one who is getting criticized for this. There's a video of Ward himself talking to Hopkins saying "We ain't ever going to fight. I respect you too much." So why is the 48 year old man who has fought everybody the guy that's ducking? And yes I'm actually waiting for an answer. As in...as rhetorical as that question sounds, I actually want to hear your answer. And yes if those two were to fight, Ward would definitely beat him, but I'm sure that isn't why Bernard isn't going to fight him. Hopkins is the last person I would put in that category.

I know you're a big Hopkins fan and I can understand why you dont want to see him lose badly, but in relation to them being friends and 'why is he the only one criticised for doing it?'....because he is the only one doing it, and because boxing history is full of fighters who are friends and respect each other that fought each other. Boxing is a competitive sport and a business, they are grown men and both seemingly quite intelligent men. They can put their friendship to one side just like the many other boxing friends that have fought each other.

As far as you're ducking question goes...I never said he ducked or was ducking Ward. If he wants to contimue to fight as a world champion and possibly unify belts then he absolutely has to be a target for the guy who has cleaned out the division below.

I cant understand why this fight wouldnt make sense to any neutral fan.

[mathed]

Two different weight classes for starters and Hopkins isn't moving down to 168 to fight Ward in Oakland either......like Dawson did.

And to the "friends" issue, Ward and Dirrell said they wouldn't fight each other because they were friends, Boner says he won't fight his "big brother" Floyd because they are friends....so if people want to crap on BHOP, then crap on those guys too.

[junior gong]

Two different weight classes for starters and Hopkins isn't moving down to 168 to fight Ward in Oakland either......like Dawson did.

And to the "friends" issue, Ward and Dirrell said they wouldn't fight each other because they were friends, Boner says he won't fight his "big brother" Floyd because they are friends....so if people want to crap on BHOP, then crap on those guys too.

I would always criticise a fighter using friendsas an excuse, and the one weight class between them is equally poor as an excuse when you consider the smaller guy has spent the last 3 years cleaning out his division.

Another thing to consider is this - There are many things that represent all that is wrong or bad about the sport. Hometown decisions, robberries, crooked, self serving promoters stopping fights happening and not working with each other, bent or poor refs, bent or blind judges, PED's, cherrypicking, poor value PPV cards, sanctioning bodies making up the rules as they go along etc.........and you also want to add sentimentality into that shit soup?????

[The_Sandman]

I know you're a big Hopkins fan and I can understand why you dont want to see him lose badly, but in relation to them being friends and 'why is he the only one criticised for doing it?'....because he is the only one doing it, and because boxing history is full of fighters who are friends and respect each other that fought each other. Boxing is a competitive sport and a business, they are grown men and both seemingly quite intelligent men. They can put their friendship to one side just like the many other boxing friends that have fought each other.

As far as you're ducking question goes...I never said he ducked or was ducking Ward. If he wants to contimue to fight as a world champion and possibly unify belts then he absolutely has to be a target for the guy who has cleaned out the division below.

I cant understand why this fight wouldnt make sense to any neutral fan.

I understand boxing is a competitive sport and yes there were fighters in the past who were friends but fought each other. But that's the thing. It was their choice. If they choose to fight their friend and the friend is okay with it, no problem. But a fighter should never be forced or be demanded to fight their friends. I never agreed and I never will accept the fact that a fighter should be pitted in a cage or a ring with his friend and beat each other up out of their own accord for others amusement. This isn't be speaking as a Hopkins fan or a boxing fan. This is me speaking as a human being. That's just wrong. In another words, that's a ****ed up thing to do. Yes, it's a competition, but the difference between boxing and other sports is that you're not dribbling a ball and shooting it through a hoop or hitting a ball with a bat. You are hitting human beings. And they shouldn't be forced to hit their friends just because they made some friends in boxing.

[junior gong]

I understand boxing is a competitive sport and yes there were fighters in the past who were friends but fought each other. But that's the thing. It was their choice. If they choose to fight their friend and the friend is okay with it, no problem. But a fighter should never be forced or be demanded to fight their friends. I never agreed and I never will accept the fact that a fighter should be pitted in a cage or a ring with his friend and beat each other up out of their own accord for others amusement. This isn't be speaking as a Hopkins fan or a boxing fan. This is me speaking as a human being. That's just wrong. In another words, that's a ****ed up thing to do. Yes, it's a competition, but the difference between boxing and other sports is that you're not dribbling a ball and shooting it through a hoop or hitting a ball with a bat. You are hitting human beings. And they shouldn't be forced to hit their friends just because they made some friends in boxing.

Sorry, but I just dont agree with you. This kind of sentimentality undermines the integrity of the sport. They chose to be friends but they also choose to be professional boxers fighting as world champions one weight apart. If Hopkins beats all the other champs at his weight, then it forces a situation where something has to give. Being the world champion in boxing in your weight class automatically puts a target on your back and you are obliged as a champion to fight the best and the most worthy opponent.

Also if you are going to take the humane road and say you shouldnt fight anyone you love, then you could equally argue that it would be wrong to fight someone you hate or dislike....Where will it end? This view point has no merit or relevance to professional boxing.